Tennis Europe Junior Tour

Junior Masters champions crowned

Junior Masters champions crowned

New champions have been crowned at the Tennis Europe Junior Masters after an intense final day of competition at the season-ending event for the elite players of the Tennis Europe Junior Tour.

Kristina Miletic of Serbia was the first player to secure victory, although the win came in a manner that she would not have wanted as opponent Eva Marie Voracek was forced to retire after losing the first four games. The German was suffering from a stomach bug and understandably unable to offer any resistance.

Miletic was delighted though, and said it would take a couple of days to get used to being the new Junior Masters champion. She was particularly happy with her attitude during the weekend, commenting after that match that “Even though she retired, I felt I was playing very well. I almost had disasters in my other two matches; I even lost my first set here 0-6 on Friday, but getting out of those situations gave me a lot of confidence.”

Nicola Kuhn was the next to join the winners’ circle, conceding just four games to Marko Miladinovic of Serbia in the Boys 14 & Under final on Court 1. Miladinovic had battled back from a set down in both of his previous matches, but Kuhn’s solid attacking style meant that the Serb had few chances to do so for a third match in a row. The Spanish-based German called it a perfect end to a Tennis Europe Junior Tour season in which he won his first Category 1 title in Bolton, and went on to play on the winning Winter Cup by HEAD and Summer Cups teams, as well as helping to secure the World Junior Tennis title for Germany.

“I’m especially pleased because I played better today than in the other matches,” he said. “I felt my level going up during the match, which was good. I wanted to show my best tennis today because it’s an important tournament and it’s important to end the year well, so I was very motivated.”Anasta

Anastasia Potapova then added the Junior Masters title to the European Championships crown won in July to cap a remarkable season in which she has dominated the 14 & Under circuit. The Russian beat Adela Joldic of Bosnia & Herzegovina 6-4 7-6(3) to claim her sixth title of the year, and secure the season-ending #1 ranking.

“This is the best year of my life,” she said afterwards. “This is the toughest tournament, and to win it after winning the Europeans and the World Junior Tennis title is just amazing. I am very proud of myself.”

The last of the finals to be completed was also the most competitive, as Mate Valkusz of Hungary fought back from a set down to outlast Bojan Jankulovski (MKD) and become the first player ever to defend a Junior Masters title. He admitted that the task had been more difficult than he anticipated, saying, “I hoped it would be easier this year. Last time I played against older guys and it was very hard to win, but this year I was the favourite and everyone played their best tennis against me.”

“Today’s match was a little strange at times. I was 4-2 up in the first set and I thought I had won it, but then he played some amazing tennis; getting to every ball and hitting some incredible spins. Then in the second set I was losing 4-0 and I was almost giving up the set but something clicked and I managed to come back. I’m very happy. It was a big ambition for me to defend this title, so I’m really pleased.”

Despite the loss, during which he was treated by the tournament doctor, Jankulovski will be cheered by the news that he will end the season as the #2-ranked player in Tennis Europe’s Race ranking, the first Macedonian ever to do so.

In the play-off matches, Francesca Jones (GBR) beat Selma Cadar (ROU) and Alexey Zakharov beat Daniel Michalski (POL) to win the 14 & Under bronze medals. Csenge Furak overcame Elizaveta Volodko (RUS) to claim the Girls 16 & Under bronze, while Rrezart Cungu (MNE) fought back to beat Vladyslav Lobak (UKR) in three sets to take the 16 & under boys’ bronze.

A sudden torrential storm played havoc with the prize-giving ceremony, but there was time for Selma Cadar to receive the tournament's Fair Play Award, and the players sang 'Happy Birthday' to Lobak, who turned 16 today.

Check out Tennis Europe on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more coverage from the #juniormasters

Draws

Boys 14 & Under | Girls 14 & Under

Boys 16 & Under | Girls 16 & Under

 

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